Market open for 3rd season

Jane Wohletz, Lawrence, makes change for former De Soto resident Deborah Gulley Wednesday at the Fresh Promises Farmers Market at Zimmerman's Kill Creek Farm in De Soto. It was the first day of the market's season, which is open from 5 to 7 p.m. every Wednesday through September at 9210 Kill Creek Road.

Though Pete and Linda Hoffman were selling their baked goods, jellies and salsa July 2 at the Fresh Promises Farmers Market, they didn't know it existed until a few weeks ago.

"We've never been here and we've been doing farmers markets for five years and we'r only 20 miles from here," Pete Hoffman, of Edgerton, said.

It was when they ran into Derrel Zimmerman, who owns Kill Creek Farm where the market is located, that the Hoffmans learned about the De Soto market.

"We met Daryl at the Lawrence Market two weeks ago, and he talked us into coming," Pete Hoffman said.

The market opened for the season July 2 and is located on Kill Creek Farm at the intersection of Kansas Highway 10 and Kill Creek Road in De Soto. From 5 to 7 p.m. every Wednesday through September vendors will sell their vegetables, fruits and fruits of their labor.

In its third year, the market will have the majority of the same vendors present last year, along with some new faces. Zimmerman said he tries to limit vendors to those who are within 15 miles of the market, keeping it local.

This year, chefs will be present on some nights preparing recipes featuring food that can be purchased at the market. Once tomatoes are ripe, Zimmerman has a recipe of his own he wants to prepare.

"My first recipe will be a tomato Swiss brushcetta sandwich, using fresh tomatoes from the market," he said.

Food will be distributed to the first 50 people along with coupons for the featured items.

Though there were only about five vendors present July 2, Zimmerman said there would be more.

"It's the first one," he said. "Trust me, there will be more."

Jane Wohletz, of Lawrence, returned with her produce stand, dubbed "Tomato Allie." She didn't have tomatoes yet, but she had potatoes, onions, zucchinis, squash and cucumbers. Eventually she also will have tomatoes, peppers and corn for sale.

While she had sold at the Fresh Promises market before, she was absent from the vendor list last year.

"Last year we sold at the Merc in Lawrence on Wednesday and then they closed, so we came back," Wohletz said.

De Soto resident Scott Kesinger had a plastic sack full of produce as he finished his trip to the market last week.

"I found the market last year and I definitely look forward to supporting it," he said. "I stop by anytime I can buy fresh."